5 Things to Know About Painting Pegboards for the Kitchen

Hanging a pegboard in your kitchen? You won't regret it! Just make sure you paint it — and follow these easy pointers — first.

1. You should use a glossy paint.

Chances are, your pegboard is going to get wet now and then. The glossier your paint, the more resistant the board will be to water. We used a can of standard interior house paint in a satin finish. Because we were using such a dark color (navy!), we had to give the board three thin coats of painting, waiting 30 minutes between each coat.

2. You have to paint both sides.

Remember what we just said about water? If water gets on the back of the board, the back can start to peel and disintegrate. Be sure to paint the back to protect the whole board from water as much as possible. Don't worry, you don't have to give it three careful coats like you did on the front — just one thick coat should do the trick.

3. Even if you want to leave it white, you still have to paint it.

While most pegboards are just the standard kraft paper-like brown, hardware stores also sell pegboards with a white, coated side. If you want to leave it white in your kitchen, you totally should, but you still have to seal the board with a clear polyurethane to protect the board from water.

4. You should pay attention to the holes.

If you see the paint collecting in the holes as you paint any of the coats, use a wooden skewer or coffee stirrer to poke through the holes and scoop up the excess paint. If you skip this step and the paint dries in the holes, your hooks and shelves might not be able to hang properly — or at all.

5. It needs at least 24 hours to dry.

Yes, we know you're excited to hang this bad boy up and start propping it out with your kitchen gear, but hold your horses. It's really gotta be dry. If it's tacky to the touch, it could get paint on your wall — or worse, your kitchen utensils as you start hanging things on the board. Wait until it's dry to the touch (at least 24 hours!) and then you're free to hang.